You automatically become a leader the moment you have a child: Poornima TM

We, at Adgully, have always saluted and honoured women managers and leaders across diverse fields. Over the years, W-SUITE is a special initiative from Adgully that has been turning the spotlight on some of the most remarkable women achievers in the M&E, Advertising, Marketing, PR and Communications industry.

On the occasion of Mother’s Day this year, Adgully has come up with a month-long special series saluting the Moms of the A&M industry. The series will explore how successful women leaders, who are also mothers, are achieving work-life balance, and are also creating an inclusive work environment so that the mothers in their teams can work to their full potential.

In conversation with Adgully, Poornima TM, Founder and CEO, Penthusiasts, speaks about how she maintains work-life balance as a woman leader and mother, how workplaces have appreciated and helped working mothers. and much more.

While speaking about achieving a successful work-life balance, Poornima said that this is more of a mindset than a management activity. According to her, the biggest issue here is that many working mothers don’t believe that they have the ability to manage work and personal life. “By planning the week and day in advance and sticking to that schedule, a lot of your work can be done while giving you the time to focus on your personal commitments. I believe in what most of the western world believes in – stick to your 9 to 5. Don’t get involved in work or calls after working hours; this will undoubtedly give you ample time to spend time with family and friends,” she advised. Poornima added that women also need to put themselves first when it comes to work and take care of their physical and emotional well-being. Another pointer is to seek help from one’s spouse and immediate family for personal, and colleagues for work-related matters.

As far as “mommy guilt’ is concerned, she felt that the term and the meaning that it carries – “feeling of inadequacy of being a mom” – is a little overrated. “Mothers, in general, have a lot on their plates as it is. When that mother goes (or goes back) to work, the stakes are quite high. There will always be instances during your typical day when you may feel guilty that you’ve not cooked your child’s favourite meal, or you haven’t taken them to play after a hard workday, or maybe you couldn’t find time to pick your child from school. But the doubts instantly fade away when you find time to spend with them,” she added.

Sharing her experience of returning to work after maternity leave, Poornima recalled, “Incidentally, I kick-started Penthusiasts right after my son was born. I haven’t had much of a maternity break experience as a normal woman would, but I do know of a few colleagues who have had such experiences. I believe the most prevalent two challenges for returning to work mothers are: 1) sudden increase in workload at work and at home, and 2) confidence in oneself to make it happen at both work and home.”

According to her, these issues can be easily tackled by having conversations with mothers who’ve had similar experiences. She further said that employers also need to have programs that encourage a gradual return to work for such mothers, as the new motherhood can be quite daunting, especially for first timers.

When asked whether being a mother has impacted her leadership style and decision-making as a woman leader, Poornima’s answer is – unequivocally, yes! “I believe you automatically become a leader the moment you have a child: from feeding them and teaching them how to eat to guiding them through studies and helping them navigate their emotions as they grow up. When you also have to juggle being a leader at work and a mother at home, your decision-making skills are honed like no other. Personally, I have definitely observed a handful of positive changes in my leadership since I’ve become a mother. My levels of empathy and tolerance for disappointment have significantly increased. I know how to better handle very spontaneous situations at work with a steady mind.”

She added that the most important trait that she has acquired after motherhood is believing in people. “When you have a relatively active child, you automatically stop overthinking situations in your head, and you start believing in your child more,” she said.

Poornima believed that a cardinal reason why her company has been successful in growing its content marketing business to its current scale is because of all the mothers in the team. She emphasied that her company always encourages new mothers to apply for working with them. “This is not just because we as a team understand what they’re going through, but we know exactly what they need to do in 3, 6, and 12 months in order to get back at work with zeal, a focused mind, and a balanced personal life,” she added.

According to Poornima, in order to create a more inclusive workplace for working mothers, the first step really is for the leadership team to have a clear vision for creating an inclusive workplace for working mothers. Some say that re-entering the workplace after an extended period of time can be difficult (sometimes impossible), and the longer one has been out, the harder it is to come back in. But this is the exact thought process that needs to be obliterated, she stressed.

“By giving some time and adequate chances/ opportunities for returning mothers to perform at work, employers can ensure that these mothers can give their best. I have heard multinationals like IBM and Goldman Sachs have return-to-work programs for new mothers that include training sessions, upskilling courses, and networking opportunities. I have also read about companies globally who don’t view a career gap in mothers’ resumes as a bad thing, and rather focus on skills learned as a mother,” she added.